


Bros Don't Let Bros Sleep on the Couch

by perilouspage



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:30:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2751206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perilouspage/pseuds/perilouspage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on fanart by Tumblr user rock-n-rot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bros Don't Let Bros Sleep on the Couch

In his lifetime, Newton Geizler had seen many things. He’d dissected various organs of an alien species, tapped into their hive mind, and watched one give birth. He’d witnessed the construction of giant humanoid war machines and the people who mind-melded just to be able to pilot them. He’d seen cities reduced to rubble, a world brought to its knees, and an entire dimension dissolve. Nothing, however, could have prepared him for the sight he currently took in.

His lab partner, Doctor Hermann Gottlieb, was very obviously exhausted. Newt couldn’t recall a one day in their ten years of camaraderie that Hermann had looked more run down. The man slept on a very slim loveseat, legs dangling over the far armrest. His shoulders were hunched forward, glasses still perched on the tip of his nose, and paperwork clutched in his hands. On the armrest beneath his shoulders, his cane leaned, awaiting its next chance to assist. Newt imagined his colleague, intending to put up his bad leg and rest for a minute, only to be snatched up by sleep the second he stopped moving. The thought was almost heartwarming. For all the shit he caused, Hermann looked innocent and long-suffering now.

Newt treaded as close as he dared to ascertain that Hermann was, indeed, asleep. A soft snore rumbled from Hermann’s chest, and his head lolled slightly. “Aw, dude,” Newt murmured. He wrestled with a few options. Should he simply leave Hermann there, to wake up with a bad mood and a stiff neck? Draw on his face with marker? Steal his report? Newt’s mischievous streak ached to step in. He didn’t let it win, but didn’t ignore it, either.

Newt pivoted, and was off to gather a few things. He made up the list as he buzzed from the lab to his bunker: blankets and pillow from his room, stools from the lab. As he went, he imagined how Hermann would react to the situation, if somehow he could. Newt didn’t doubt that the stick that was usually shoved up Hermann’s ass would make a grand reappearance once he saw Newt’s favorite ugly blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Internally, he laughed, but externally, he didn’t risk waking his slumbering friend.

Newton returned to Gottleib. In his absence, the man had slid farther down the loveseat, his head now against the armrest and his legs, from knees down, hanging off the other end. Newt immediately went to work. He pulled off the man’s shoes, and rested the legs on the taller of the stools. He then placed the other stool at Hermann’s head. Onto this one went Hermann’s report, glasses, and cane. Newt crouched for the comforter, keeping an eye on Hermann, and spread it gingerly over his body. Newt couldn’t resist tucking Hermann in, laugher bubbling up uncontrollably. Finally, he gently lifted Hermann’s head and placed the pillow underneath. He gave Hermann’s mussed hair a gentle pat.

Newt stepped back to admire his handiwork. Hermann now looked less like the epitome of working oneself to exhaustion and more like a college kid who’d crashed on his buddy’s couch.  Apparently, the adjustment had satisfied Hermann; the man sighed in his sleep, turned himself towards Newt, and nestled into the blanket. At the moment, Newt swore he would never let Hermann live this down. However, four hours later, when Hermann would awake, he would not question how he’d ended up like this, and Newt wouldn’t bother to tell him.

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to Tumblr user rock-n-rot for the PacRim fanart that this fic was inspired by.


End file.
